Tag Archives: barrel aged

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Pannepot Reserva Cask Strength Makers Mark BA

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10.1%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Other Notes: 27 IBUs. Cask strength limited edition with low carbonation

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our barrel room is housing more barrels each year. As our team does not grow as quick as our barrel total, it is needless to say our barrel aged beers are also aging longer. This batch has already 4 years of bourbon barrel aging, and we’re very happy with the outcome. Enjoy!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.84
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 375ml bottle, 2012 vintage, bottled on 25th February 2016. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet-ish dried fruit, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, bourbon, brown sugar, red wine grape, slightly vinous, oak, with notes of chocolate and toffee.
Taste: Sweet dark fruit, very lightly tart, plum, prunes, raisin, light bourbon, oak, with chocolate and caramel notes and a very slight char like bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with extremely low to no carbonation.
Overall: For 4 years in a bourbon barrel, I was hoping for stronger barrel character. I also prefer having some carbonation, and I know the bottle says it has ‘low carbonation’ but actually my feeling is that it’s pretty much next to no carbonation.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Pannepot Reserva Bourbon BA

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Other Notes: 27 IBUs. A Dark Strong Ale from Flanders

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dark strong ale, bourbon barrel aged Pannepot Reserva.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.21
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2018 vintage, bottled on 22nd July 2020, with a best before date of 21st July 2025. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a thin beige head that disappeared quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, doughy, clove, fig, candied plum, prunes, candi sugar, toffee, bourbon.
Taste: Sweet, bourbon, dark fruit, fig, plum, raisin, prunes, candi sugar, with maybe slight notes of chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper. I think the Bourbon BA helped it a bit and was not overly done.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Odd Breed Wild Ales, USA, Wild Ale

Odd Breed Agronomics of Squander

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Brewery: Odd Breed Wild Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Wild Ale with Blackberries and Blackcurrants

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This brew was blended from two Sangiovese puncheons of our turbid mashed wild ales; half was barrel aged for eight months and half was aged 16 months. We refermented and conditioned the blend on over 700 pounds of blackberries and blackcurrants for three months. Blackcurrants lend bright acidity with flavors reminiscent of passionfruit and black raspberries with plenty of tannins, while the blackberries lend some sweetness and jam-like notes with earthy undertones. Our mixed culture adds some funk and nuance to this fruit forward wild fruit ale.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.01
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, bottled on 5th June 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy strawberry red with a slight orange hue, and a two finger pinkish head that dissipated quite quickly to a thin replenishing cap, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, Ribena, blackcurrant, blackberry, jammy, with nice woody notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackcurrant, berry seeds, oak, blackberry, and a touch jammy.
Mouthfeel: Acidic, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The aroma was wonderful, but taste while having great fruity flavours, was on the borderline of being overly sour and acidic for me. I’m also not getting much, if any, funk, which I think would have helped balanced the sour and acidity.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Deschutes Brewery, Stout - Imperial, USA

Deschutes The Abyss

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Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 11.1%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 Reserve

Brewer Description: (from bottle) It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. This imperial stout has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of this special brew draws you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.

Imperial Stout brewed with black strap molasses and licorice, dry spiced with cherry bark and vanilla bean, 21% aged in oak bourbon barrels, 21% aged in oak wine barrels, and 8% aged in new Oregon oak barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.38
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 Reserve, bottled on 8th December 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Very dark brown to black in colour with a nice one finger brown head that had decent retention, while leaving lots of nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Dark malt, moderate roast, chocolate, sweet notes, licorice, molasses, bourbon, oak.
Taste: Light bitterness, roasted malts, dark chocolate, light char, sweet notes, brown sugar, licorice, molasses, oak and bourbon on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An excellent classic Imperial Stout with lots of great flavours and not too sweet. A wonderful and enjoyable sipper.

3 Sons Brewing Company, 4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Sour Ale - Smoothie / Soda / Pastry, USA

3 Sons Slice of Life

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Brewery: 3 Sons Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12%
Style: Sour Ale – Pastry
Other Notes: Collaboration with Boneflower Craft Mead Co.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Tequila barrel aged key lime pie sour with meadowfoam honey, lime zest & graham crackers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2020 vintage. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Dessert like, very light tartness, strong graham cracker, shredded coconut, caramel, with light notes of vanilla, honey, marshmallow, and candied lime.
Taste: Liquid dessert or cocktail, moderately sweet, lightly tart, tequila, candied lime, marshmallow, graham cracker, shredded coconut.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Pleasantly surprised and really unexpected in a good way. I suppose the reason is that I had no idea what to expect even after reading the description. But this really worked, and everything from the description just seemed to meld together, and it’s like drinking a liquid dessert. At 12% ABV, any alcohol is really well hidden, and perhaps my only negative, is that after drinking half a bottle, it does start to feel quite sweet, so share the bottle and enjoy!